


Untitled

by DarchangelSkye



Category: American Idol RPF, Music RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: April Showers 2015, Comfort, Community: 1-million-words, Community: 1_million_words, Cuddling & Snuggling, Episode Tag, Fluff, M/M, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Reading Aloud, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:30:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3669192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarchangelSkye/pseuds/DarchangelSkye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>for 1 Million Words' 3/31/2015 Wednesday One Image prompt: http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/1132859.html. Also episode tag for the 4/01/2015 AI14 show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled

Dinner was quiet, as it usually was the first couple of nights after a show. Of course everybody knew by now this was supposed to be a competition, but losing people you still considered friends took a long time to get used to.

Clark was one of the slowest picking at his food. The close call and everything after had pretty much killed his appetite. His attention was only brought back to the real world when he felt something touch his pocket.

"Hunh?" he whipped his head around just as Tyanna's fingers left his pocket. The heck?-

"From Nick," she whispered simply and went back to her plate.

Seeing as Nick was sitting quite a few spots away, that showed how much trust was in this group.

Clark discreetly flattened the note against his thigh with a thumb and dipped his head to read.

_Meet me on the balcony after you shower. Bring anything you want. XO_

He honestly had little clue how to interpret this. Seeing as his libido was temporarily out of commission as well he hoped it wasn't for anything physical. But he could still say hi to Nick. You know, to be nice.

Soon after Nick brought his empty plate to the sink, muttered something about taking an early night, and listened to the chorus of good-nights before heading up the stairs. Clark silently watched his retreating form. Nope, still couldn't even guess.

***

After Clark got out of the shower, he changed into pajamas instead of his usual tank and shorts- it may be LA but April was still cool- and grabbed his e-reader and book light before padding down the hall to Nick's room. The door was open a crack, another sign of trust.

When he entered the room, the first thing he noticed was the sheets and pillows missing from the bed. Again, what the heck?

"Out here, beb," he heard Nick's voice from the balcony.

He stepped closer, and ended up grinning widely for the first time in a couple days. Nick was lying in the middle of an honest-to-goodness blanket fort, the only source of light being his computer (the cord trailing with an extension back into the room) which was currently playing music while ambient patterns floated on the screen. Clark could also see a small plate of fruits, tall water glasses, and one of the near-forbidden chip bags as junk food was strictly rationed amongst the singers. "You totally planned this ahead, didn't you?"

"I knew it'd make you smile. C'mere you," Nick opened his arms as always when he wanted a hug.

The young man crawled in, tucked some blanket around himself, and kissed each side of his boyfriend's mouth in gratitude. "This is so nice of you..."

Nick curled his arms tighter and rest his chin on Clark's head. "I hate seein' you sad, 'specially when I can't hold you. Hurts my heart."

Clark sighed. He figured he'd have to talk about the other night sooner or later. "It's just...that was so close. Who knows how much I just squeaked by. And then after...you know I love you, but Daniel's my friend."

"I know, beb, he's my friend too," Nick murmured and grabbed a glass to pass to his boy. "But you've seen him, he's happy. I'm sure in a year or two he'll be as popular as the Biebs, but, y'know, without the attitude."

Clark barely suppressed a sputtering laugh in his water over the mental image. "Oh god, could you imagine?" He rubbed his mouth and reached for some apple slices.

"Heh, yeah." Nick pet up and down his boyfriend's back. His voice became quieter with, "There's only gonna be one of us left soon, anyway. We knew that when we signed up for this."

"Doesn't mean it gets easier." Clark tucked more blanket around himself even if he was warm in Nick's arms. He felt his body being rocked a little to the gentle sway of the music. This was quiet love...

After a few minutes, he could hear Nick reaching for a snack and changing the computer's playlist when the tempo sped up. "Promise me you're not giving up? No matter which of us goes first?"

He didn't want to think about that, but he still shook his head to answer the question. "Couldn't do that. I want to sing so much."

"That's my beb." Nick kissed his hair and settled his cheek onto a pillow. 

Clark gave another sigh, this one more content. He could do this. _They_ could do this. "Nice 'nough to sleep out here..."

"That was my plan, until it gets really windy or something." Nick picked up the e-reader where Clark had left it aside and gave a knowing grin. "Y'want me to read to you?"

The young man could've sworn he was blushing; thank goodness it was mostly too dark for Nick to tell. "I don't exactly have _Goodnight Moon_ on there."

"Good books are good books." Nick set the device by the computer's glow and turned it on to where Clark had left off in _The Fault In Our Stars_. "Oh, beb, you're gonna make me cry, you're lucky I love you," he said but with a smile.

Clark tucked his head under Nick's arm when the older man had shifted. "Lucky me," he murmured with the same smile and shut his eyes to listen.

"'One might marvel at the insanity of the situation. A mother sends her sixteen-year-old daughter along with a seventeen-year-old boy out into a foreign city famous for its permissiveness. But this, too, was a side effect of dying: I could not run or dance or eat foods rich in nitrogen, but in the city of freedom, I was among the most liberated of its residents. I did indeed wear the sundress- this blue print, flowey knee-length Forever 21 thing'..."

Nick's light and warm voice with the soft music wrapped around him like the blankets and evening air did, and by the time he dropped off, he was certain there was a steady heartbeat added to that rhythm.


End file.
